Friends, neighbors again celebrate holiday together in West Ocala feast

Katisha Rucker helps her son Mihlyric Rucker, 1, eat Thanksgiving lunch next to Jo'Miyah Hester, 9, during the 3rd annual Thankful Thursday held outside the Ed Croskey Recreation Center in Ocala on Thursday. The event was started in 2010 by previous prison cellmates Antonio Crim and Denzell Simpkins, who wanted to give back to their community. Simpkins said he estimated they fed 300 residents last year and were expecting the same turn out this year.

Jacqui Janetzko/Star-Banner Correspondent

By Vishal PersaudStaff Writer

Published: Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 8:13 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 8:13 p.m.

Danzell Simpkins was thankful he could give something back to his community.

He and a group of volunteers decided to cook trays upon trays of turkey, ham, green beans, candied yams and more to host a Thanksgiving open to everyone.

“We decided to celebrate our Thanksgiving with the community,” Simpkins said just before the annual festivities began in West Ocala.

He and childhood friend Anthony Crim along with their wives, relatives and friends organized the event — now in its third year at the Ed Croskey Center at the Martin Luther King Recreational Complex.

Simpkins and Crim both have shared a rocky road, marked by several run-ins with the law. They said that back in November 2010, they were sharing a jail cell together at the Marion County jail and decided then they wanted to do something major — something that would have a real impact to show their appreciation for the community.

Born and raised in the neighborhood, Crim and Simpkins said not many community events like the open Thanksgiving dinner were around when they were growing up.

That was part of their motivation for organizing the event.

Simpkins is the head chef and co-owner, along with his wife, Atiya, of Wutitdo Home Cooked Food in Silver Springs Shores, and Crim owns his own music production company, So Hood Records.

Just before eating, the group of about 50 lowered their heads, embraced hands in a circle and prayed around the feast they were about to have, thanking God for the food.

With Notorious B.I.G. blasting from a set of speakers in the back drop, people lined up to fill their plates with yellow rice, turkey, candied yams and macaroni and cheese. One man proclaimed he was ready to eat while he stood in line.

“It was nice,” Marie Brooks said with a smile as she ate. Without the hosted dinner, Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t have happened at her house.

“We didn’t have no money to get none,” she said.

Last year, the event drew close to 300 people, and the very first dinner brought out nearly 500, said Rosalyn Archie, one of the volunteers and organizers of the event.

She began to tear up when she said what drove her to help out with the festivities.

“We just want to give back,” Archie said. She also said she was up at 2 a.m. Thanksgiving morning to begin cooking for the dinner.

Simpkins and Crim’s childhood friend, Michael Schofield, who also was born and raised in West Ocala, drove down from Atlanta to show his support.

“Doing this is important because these are my friends,” Schofield said.

Without much outside support from fundraisers or charities, the event was funded mainly by its organizers, who Schofield said want to be able to do more events like the community Thanksgiving dinner.

Schofield said he hopes the dinner lives on for another 15 or 20 years and that their network of giving can continue to expand.

“We’re doing this because we care about people in the community,” he said. “Imagine where we’ll be at in four years.”

<p>Danzell Simpkins was thankful he could give something back to his community.</p><p>He and a group of volunteers decided to cook trays upon trays of turkey, ham, green beans, candied yams and more to host a Thanksgiving open to everyone. </p><p>“We decided to celebrate our Thanksgiving with the community,” Simpkins said just before the annual festivities began in West Ocala. </p><p>He and childhood friend Anthony Crim along with their wives, relatives and friends organized the event — now in its third year at the Ed Croskey Center at the Martin Luther King Recreational Complex. </p><p>Simpkins and Crim both have shared a rocky road, marked by several run-ins with the law. They said that back in November 2010, they were sharing a jail cell together at the Marion County jail and decided then they wanted to do something major — something that would have a real impact to show their appreciation for the community. </p><p>Born and raised in the neighborhood, Crim and Simpkins said not many community events like the open Thanksgiving dinner were around when they were growing up.</p><p>That was part of their motivation for organizing the event. </p><p>Simpkins is the head chef and co-owner, along with his wife, Atiya, of Wutitdo Home Cooked Food in Silver Springs Shores, and Crim owns his own music production company, So Hood Records. </p><p>Just before eating, the group of about 50 lowered their heads, embraced hands in a circle and prayed around the feast they were about to have, thanking God for the food. </p><p>With Notorious B.I.G. blasting from a set of speakers in the back drop, people lined up to fill their plates with yellow rice, turkey, candied yams and macaroni and cheese. One man proclaimed he was ready to eat while he stood in line. </p><p>“It was nice,” Marie Brooks said with a smile as she ate. Without the hosted dinner, Thanksgiving dinner wouldn't have happened at her house. </p><p>“We didn't have no money to get none,” she said. </p><p>Last year, the event drew close to 300 people, and the very first dinner brought out nearly 500, said Rosalyn Archie, one of the volunteers and organizers of the event. </p><p>She began to tear up when she said what drove her to help out with the festivities.</p><p>“We just want to give back,” Archie said. She also said she was up at 2 a.m. Thanksgiving morning to begin cooking for the dinner. </p><p>Simpkins and Crim's childhood friend, Michael Schofield, who also was born and raised in West Ocala, drove down from Atlanta to show his support. </p><p>“Doing this is important because these are my friends,” Schofield said. </p><p>Without much outside support from fundraisers or charities, the event was funded mainly by its organizers, who Schofield said want to be able to do more events like the community Thanksgiving dinner. </p><p>Schofield said he hopes the dinner lives on for another 15 or 20 years and that their network of giving can continue to expand. </p><p>“We're doing this because we care about people in the community,” he said. “Imagine where we'll be at in four years.”</p><p><i>Contact Vishal Persaud at (352) 867-4065, vishal.persaud@starbanner.com or on Twitter @vishalpersaud.</i></p>